Combination drawer guide and safety stop

ABSTRACT

A channel-shaped base member is adapted to be fixed in an article of furniture to extend centrally and longitudinally of a drawer in order to support the drawer, and an inverted channelshaped slide member is adapted to be fixed to the bottom of the drawer. One of these members telescopes within the other, and a block of durable low friction material extends centrally inside the outer telescoping member. The inner member has side walls terminating in in-turned flanges which extend into a groove on both sides of such block. A structure of durable low friction material extends transversely across the inner member in the path of such block, to cooperate with the block in providing a safety stop. This structure also has portions which extend laterally beyond the side walls of the inner member, and vertically beyond the in-turned flanges into engagement with the outer member. Such structure is located adjacent to one end of the assembly and the block is located adjacent to the other end. The in-turned flanges have portions cut out immediately inward from such structure, so that the block is disengaged from such flanges as it contacts such structure.

United States Patent Thomas Mar. 14, 1972 [54] COMBINATION DRAWER GUIDE AND Winzeler Stamping Company, Montpelier, Ohio 221 Filed: Nov. 27, 1970 21 Appl.No.: 93,054

[73] Assignee:

Primary Examiner-Martin P. Schwadron Assistant Examiner-Ronald H. Lazarus Att0rneyMarshall & Yeasting [57] ABSTRACT A channel-shaped base member is adapted to be fixed in an article of furniture to extend centrally and longitudinally of a drawer in order to support the drawer, and an inverted channel-shaped slide member is adapted to be fixed to the bottom of the drawer. One of these members telescopes within the other, and a block of durable low friction material extends centrally inside the outer telescoping member. The inner member has side walls terminating in in-turned flanges which extend into a groove on both sides of such block. A structure of durable low friction material extends transversely across the inner member in the path of such block, to cooperate with the block in providing a safety stop. This structure also has portions which extend laterally beyond the side walls of the inner member, and vertically beyond the in-turned flanges into engagement with the outer member. Such structure is located adjacent to one end of the assembly and the block is located adjacent to the other end. The in-turned flanges have portions cut out immediately inward from such structure, so that the block is disengaged from such flanges as it contacts such structure.

4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Patented March 14, 1972 3,649,087

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FIGZ

INVENTOR.

PAUL P THOMAS ME W COMBINATION DRAWER GUIDE AND SAFETY STOP BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the construction of furniture, it is advantageous to mount a drawer upon a central guide which supports the drawer. An essential requirement of such a guide is that is permit the drawer to move smoothly with little friction, and it also must guide the drawer accurately so as to prevent displacement or misalignment which would cause the drawer to bind at one side or the other. With such a requirement for guiding the drawer accurately, it has been found to be difficult to provide a safety stop that prevents the drawer from being pulled accidentally all the way out, and yet permits the drawer to be removed completely when desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a combination drawer guide and safety stop which provides noiseless, low friction operation of a drawer.

The present drawer guide comprises two members which are slidable relative to one another, and which are interlocked and slidably mounted together at two points which are spaced longitudinally of the drawer as far as possible. At both of these two points, the drawer is guided accurately with very little friction, and at both points one slidable member is supported upon the other to support the drawer for smooth and quiet operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 of the drawing is a longitudinal vertical section of a combination drawer guide and safety stop embodying the invention, which is shown installed in an article of furniture to support a drawer.

FIG. 2 is an end elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the device shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary end elevation of a modified form of the device.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section on the line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an end elevation of a further modified form of device.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section of the device shown in FIG. 5, on a reduced scale, taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A channel-shaped base member 10 is adapted to be fixed in an article of furniture to extend centrally and longitudinally of a drawer in order to support the drawer. Thus the base member 10 may be provided at each end with a horizontally extending tab 11 which may be fixed to the framework of the furniture by means of screws (not shown).

An inverted channel-shaped slide member 12 is adapted to be fixed to the bottom of the drawer, for example by means of an upstanding flange 13 which is tacked or stapled to the rear end of the drawer, and a horizontal tab 14 that extends into a groove 15 provided on the rear face of the front panel 16 of the drawer.

The channel-shaped base member 10 and the inverted channel-shaped member 12 telescope together. Preferably the base member telescopes within the slide member 12 as shown in the drawing. If desired, however, the entire structure of the guide member shown in the drawing may be inverted so that the inner member becomes the slide member 12 fixed to the bottom of the drawer, and the outer member becomes the base member 10 fixed in the framework of the furniture. In any case, a block 17 of a durable low friction material extends centrally inside the outer channel-shaped member, which in the arrangement shown in the drawings is fixed to the bottom of the drawer.

Each of the side walls of the inner channel-shaped member 10 terminates in an in-turned flange 18. The flanges 18 extend into a groove 19 on both sides of the block 17.

Preferably the block 17 is in the shape of a cylindrical spool so that it does not need to be installed in any particular angular position. The block 17 may be fastened in place by means of a rivet 20 which is secured to the outer channel-shaped member 12 at one end and extends through a central bore in the block 17 which is countersunk to receive the head at the other end of the rivet 20.

The block 17 preferably is made of nylon, but may be made of any other durable low friction material.

The channel-shaped members 10 and 12 preferably consist of metal stampings, so that when the block 17 is made of nylon the flanges of the inner channel-shaped member will have a smooth and noiseless sliding fit in the groove 15.

The inner channel-shaped member, which in the preferred arrangement shown in the drawings is fixed to the framework of the furniture rather than to the drawer, is provided with a structure 21 of durable low friction material extending transversely across the inner member in the path of the block 17, to cooperate with the block in providing a safety stop. This structure includes two ears 22 which extend laterally from the side walls of the inner member and also extend vertically beyond the in-tumed flanges 18 of the inner member into engagement with the outer member 12.

The structure 21, which preferably is of nylon, includes two lugs 21a, each of which fits in an opening punched in one of the side walls of the inner member 10.

The structure 21 is located adjacent to one end of the assembly and the block 17 is located adjacent to the other end of the assembly, so that when the drawer is closed it is centrally supported at one end by the structure 21 and at the other end by the block 17. Preferably the block 17 rather than the structure 21 is located adjacent to the rear end of the drawer, because the engagement of the flanges 18 in the groove 19 of the block 17 restrains the drawer against vertical movement or against tilting when the drawer has been pulled nearly all the way out.

The in-turned flanges 18 are cut away at 23. The cutaway portion 23 extends opposite the structure 21 and also extends for a short distance inside of the structure 21 as shown in FIG. 1.

When the drawer is pulled out to the limit of its travel, the block 17 strikes against the structure 21 which serves as a safety stop to prevent the drawer from coming accidentally all the way out. Because of the presence of the cutaway portion 23, the block 17 is disengaged from the flanges 18 when the block 17 comes against the structure 21. This makes it possible to remove the drawer completely if desired, by lifting the rear end of the drawer to permit the block 17 to pass above the structure 21.

The outer channel-shaped member preferably has its side walls terminated in in-turned flanges 24, which stiffen the side walls of the outer channel-shaped member. The flanges 24 are cut away at 240, adjacent the block 17, in order to permit the structure 21 to clear the flanges 24 when it is desired to remove the drawer completely.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show a modification in which a horizontal rectangular bar 25 takes the place of the structure 21 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 3 is a fragmentary end view of the inner channel-shaped member, and FIG. 4 shows how the block 25 engages the outer channel-shaped member 12.

As shown in FIG. 4, the rectangular bar 25 is fitted in a notch that is located in the cutaway portion 23, and the bottom of this notch is provided with serrations 26. When the rectangular bar 25 is forced into place, the serrations 26 bite into the bar 25, which preferably is made of nylon or some other low friction material.

In the modification shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, two cylinders 27, of a durable low friction material such as nylon, are each provided with a cylindrical stem 28 which extends through a closely fitting hole in one of the side walls of the inner member 10a. The ends of the stems 28 abut one another, so that the cylinders 27 and stems 28 together form a structure extending across the inner member 10a in the path of movement of the block 17. The flanges 18 of the inner member a are cut away at 23a, so that the block 17 is disengaged from the flanges 18 when it comes against the stems 28.

With the modification shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and the modification shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the operation of removing the drawer completely is performed in the manner hereinbefore described.

I claim:

1. A combination drawer guide and safety stop which provides noiseless, low friction operation of a drawer, comprising a channel-shaped base member which is adapted to be fixed in an article of furniture to extend centrally and longitudinally of a drawer in order to support the drawer, an inverted channelshaped slide member which is adapted to be fixed to the bottom of a drawer, one of such members telescoping within the other, a block of durable low friction material extending centrally inside the outer telescoping member, the inner member having side walls terminating in in-turned flanges which extend into a groove on both sides of such block, and a structure of durable low friction material extending transversely across the inner member in the path of such block, to cooperate with the block in providing a safety stop, such structure also having portions which extend laterally beyond the side walls of the inner member, and vertically beyond the in-turned flanges into engagement with the outer member, such structure being located adjacent to one end of the assembly and the block being located adjacent to the other end, and the in-turned flanges having portions cut out immediately inward from such structure, whereby the block is disengaged from such flanges as it contacts such structure.

2. A combination drawer guide and safety stop according to claim 1 wherein the outer telescoping member has side walls terminating in in-turned flanges which are cut away adjacent to the block to permit the structure extending transversely across the inner member to clear such flanges when the block is disengaged from the inner member.

3. A combination drawer guide and safety stop according to claim 1 wherein the base member telescopes within the slide member.

4. A combination drawer guide and safety stop according to claim 1 wherein the structure extending transversely across the inner member consists of a single piece, and the inner member is cut out to receive such piece. 

1. A combination drawer guide and safety stop which provides noiseless, low friction operation of a drawer, comprising a channel-shaped base member which is adapted to be fixed in an article of furniture to extend centrally and longitudinally of a drawer in order to support the drawer, an inverted channel-shaped slide member which is adapted to be fixed to the bottom of a drawer, one of such members telescoping within the other, a block of durable low friction material extending centrally inside the outer telescoping member, the inner member having side walls terminating in in-turned flanges which extend into a groove on both sides of such block, and a structure of durable low friction material extending transversely across the inner member in the path of such block, to cooperate with the block in providing a safety stop, such structure also having portions which extend laterally beyond the side walls of the inner member, and vertically beyond the in-turned flanges into engagement with the outer member, such structure being located adjacent to one end of the assembly and the block being located adjacent to the other end, and the in-turned flanges having portions cut out immediately inward from such structure, whereby the block is disengaged from such flanges as it contacts such structure.
 2. A combination drawer guide and safety stop according to claim 1 wherein the outer telescoping member has side walls terminating in in-turned flanges which are cut away adjacent to the block to permit the structure extending transversely across the inner member to clear such flanges when the block is disengaged from the inner member.
 3. A combination drawer guide and safety stop according to claim 1 wherein the base member telescopes within the slide member.
 4. A combination drawer guide and safety stop according to claim 1 wherein the structure extending transversely across the inner member consists of a single piece, and the inner member is cut out to receive such piece. 